Build Log: M57 X5

[ucsbwsr]

Originally Posted by RL18

Ucsbwsr do you mind sharing where to buy the golden eagle oil and which one you used? I'm doing my first oil change soon and wanted to mix some of this in. I just see two options on the website and want to be sure I'm getting the right stuff!

Also I meant to ask but did you notice any reduction in smell on your x5 after installing the phantom fuel system?

Smell is the same.

You can buy the oil here:
https://mpggarage.com/shop?olsPage=products

[ucsbwsr]

After the winter road trip I picked up a set of Pirelli Scorpion Verde A/S tires. 295/40/20. I will run these as an temporary solution as I am still going back n forth with keeping a 20x11 square setup or going to a staggered 20x10F 20x11R. With the snow tires and cargo box removed I was curious to see what kind of MPG gain there would be. It's hard to get pure highway MPG figures that don't get diluted with my aggressive city driving.

I was able to get some clean highway runs in, only ~40 miles total but the drive was an out and back on the same stretch, average speed was 65mph and the return was 35mpg, nice!


I became fond of the looks, strength, and weight of the Camaro ZL1 wheels and didn't see putting the Style 612Ms back on so they were sold


Mountain bike! \M/


20mm spacers were replaced with 30mm for flushness in the rear


Before


After



Installed my 3" QTP exhaust valve. These slip on clamps made installa breeze and I am happy with the results. I still need to mount the switch in the cabin.




Front suspension is now completely refreshed, new OEM top hats, bushings, sport bump stops, KYB struts, and H&R 1.2 springs.




With the rear suspension things are a bit more complicated...

Researching on RealOEM and on other sites I heard that the rear struts for non-air equipped E70s have longer struts and taller (cupped) strut mounts, in a particular photo where someone was comparing the air vs non-air rear struts it looked like the sturt body was the same but the stanchion was longer on the non-air. So my though was to install the non-air struts and mounts on my X5 which, based on my info at the time, would allow 2" more suspension travel before the bump stops came into play, allowing better ride quality when lowered. However after ordering 2 sets of new rear struts (both air and non-air) it became apparent the 2" length difference is 100% in the sturt body so my plan fell apart.

Non-Air TOP vs Air BOTTOM


Here is the 2" difference in the strut mounts. Air=Flat Non-Air=Dome


Another X5 owner was brainstorming with me and he had the idea to run the shorter "Air" rear struts with the domed non-air mounts; the idea being with domed strut mount would allow the strut extra room to move on a lowered vehicle and hopefully allow for proper strut function at a lowered ride height. I gave this a shot and after about 1 week or testing I came to the conclusion that this combo also wasn't ideal, ths strut was operating at essentially full length. If the sturt only saw compression this is probably OK and better than having the sturt working while significantly compressed however, knowing that the suspension will articulate and extend periodically I could see this damaging the strut when if it was topped out.

To conclude what really needs to happen is to take these 2" taller non-air struts mounts, have 1" of material removed, and have them welded back together. This should allow the strut to operate in an acceptable range on a lowered vehicle.

With the short strut + domed mounts installed I knew the strut might perform better at an even lower ride height to I adjusted the rear down another 3/4". With the strut bolt removed you can see how the strut at full extension sits in relation to the control arm.





I raised the rear back up and reverted to the shorter air strut and flat strut mount. Ride quality isn't as good as it was with the taller mount but I know won't be potentially damaging the strut.


Check this out. A tuning company is pushing the limits of the M57 motor with their 335D. I can't imagine it staying together long at this power level (and 50% nitrous) but these numbers are crazy for a STOCK engine and STOCK turbo M57. Just nuts!

[RL18]

That fuel mileage is really impressive. My 335d gets 32 usually since I can't keep my foot out of it, but can return 40+ on the highway if I drive normal.

Any idea what company that dyno is from? Those numbers are insane!! That thing has more torque then the 2020 6.7 powerstroke! I can't believe that's on stock turbos and why not upgrade them to make even more

[ucsbwsr]

Originally Posted by RL18

That fuel mileage is really impressive. My 335d gets 32 usually since I can't keep my foot out of it, but can return 40+ on the highway if I drive normal.

Any idea what company that dyno is from? Those numbers are insane!! That thing has more torque then the 2020 6.7 powerstroke! I can't believe that's on stock turbos and why not upgrade them to make even more

The tuning company is Santjer Performance Development. I can't believe it's stock turbo as well. They plan to continue to push things, I think their goal is 1,000whp or something loft like that. Either way, AWESOME.

Yea, it's hard to get accurate MPG numbers that aren't watered down from WOT pulls around town. lol. The X5 really suffers from short gearing on the highway so driving at <70mph is really advantageous for economy but I will be playing around with a diff swap to see if I can get relatively economical numbers at 75-80mph.

[RL18]

Originally Posted by ucsbwsr

The tuning company is Santjer Performance Development. I can't believe it's stock turbo as well. They plan to continue to push things, I think their goal is 1,000whp or something loft like that. Either way, AWESOME.

Yea, it's hard to get accurate MPG numbers that aren't watered down from WOT pulls around town. lol. The X5 really suffers from short gearing on the highway so driving at <70mph is really advantageous for economy but I will be playing around with a diff swap to see if I can get relatively economical numbers at 75-80mph.

Yeah that's some serious power. I'd love too see this engine break 1000hp. I'd imagine upgraded turbos and some other tweaks alone could get them very close to their 1000hp goal if they got to 650ish with stock turbos.

Edit:After a google search I found them. Looks like they were running dual cp3 pumps and 100% over injectors with a whole lot of nitrous. I can't imagine it was very efficient but definitely have enough fuel and air lol.

WOT pulls are a must lol. Bmw definitely dropped the ball on gearing with the x5ds. I can't ever think of a moment where 1st has ever been useful and I hate seeing my rpm above 2k rpm on the highway. It would of been ideal to have a zf8, but instead they used it on the n57 :

[ucsbwsr]

I had a chance to execute the 3.15 rear end swap, I will be making a separate thread on this but will add some cliff notes here. For those who have done diff swaps, the change from 3.64 to 3.15 doesn't offer any surprises. Install was straight forward. The downside is acceleration from a dig isn't as dramatic but normal daily driving benefits from the gearing as the X5 has a lot of torque and has no issue moving itself along. The real benefit of this comes at highway speeds, I did some stretches at 60-65mph and it was returning ~35mpg which is what the 3.64 mustered. 65-80mph is where the 3.64 would fall apart and MPGs would drop down to the low-mid 20s, with the 3.15 at 70mph the X5 was still returning 35mpg. I still need to do some testing at higher highway speeds, 80+mph, but the X5 is definitely not as affected by the added speed. I will be swapping in the front diff to complete the gearing conversion and recommend this mod to others who value highway MPG and a less dramatic driving experience overall.

I was able to get a drive from San Diego up to Orange County, just under a 200 mile round trip, mainly flat with some rolling hills. On the drive up I was able to get 32.2mpg and this included 10 miles of urban driving to a shop. On the way home I got 35.1mpg highway only. Unfortunately I wasn't able to hand calculate the figures, this is based off cluster read-out and mine is usually 0-1mpg optimistic so take it for what it's worth.




Big Ass Wrench


If you recall I was playing around with running the shorter rear-air struts with the taller (2" taller) upper strut mounts from a non-air X5 and the goal was to get proper strut actuation while lowered. the air strut with the air mount was too compressed and the air strut with the non-air mount was too extended so I made some 1/2" and 3/4" spacers out of plastic cutting boards which are used to space the taller non-air mount down bring the strut into normal operating range.

To accommodate the spacers I needed to replace the OEM M10 studs with longer versions, after some research I found that ATVs run M10 wheels studs and with all the crazy modding that is going on in that industry, some companies make extended wheel studs to accommodate spacers. I found some that gave me an extra ~20mm of usable thread length.

Old studs out


Extended studs


Building spacers


I made 2 sets of 1/2" and a pair of 3/4" so I can space the mounts as needed between 1/2-1"


What's interesting is how little stanchion travel BMW allows before the bump stops come into play on the rear struts. There are 3 OEM bump stop options: short, medium, and long with the short being sport, long being for 3rd row, and medium for X5s spec's in the middle.
Looking at the meidum bump stop install you can see there is only about 10mm of travel before the bump stop is activated, this is why most X5s ride so poorly when lowered, most are riding on the bump stops, literally.


Here is the medium BS in the back and the sport (short) bump stop installed.


Here is a sport trimmed.


I installed the medium bump stop and paired with a 1/2" spacer which positions the strut in an acceptable operating range but closer to the "extended" side of the spectrum as opposed to "compressed." I know I am still mis-matching the dampening characteristics of the strut with squished air bags but this is a step in the right direction, more testing to do.


I got around to installing the switch for my QTP exhaust valve. I ditched the huge/ugly/hard-to-operate switch QTP supplies for a sleeker momentary switch I bought off eBay, I wanted a more OEM look and easier operation. The goal was to mount the switch in an easy to access location that was also a bit out of sight, and I wanted to mount the switch into a panel or piece of trim that could be easily replaced if I wanted to revert back to stock. Very happy with how everything came together.



With the dark theme of the X5 the taillights and their bright red bothered me a bit so I got some Lamin-X smoked film. This is the lightest they make and offers the "dark-cherry" look I was going for. I also used some knifeless tape to cut the film so that it was only on the red and the white/clear sections have no film.

As a lighting nerd this is a step in the wrong direction in terms of illumination and safety so I had to offset that. I upgraded the rear turn signal and brake light bulbs to Diode Dynamics LED bulbs, I also coded the light module to do a double hazard flash. The bulbs are significantly brighter and combined with the instant-on flash of LEDs the turn signal more effective now than it was in the OEM configuration, even with the tint.

[ucsbwsr]

I was able to get the X5 on some dynos, both a Mustang Dyno and a Dynojet.

Mustang was 317whp 504wtq
Dynojet was 370whp 520wtq

For those that don't know Mustang dynos use load and typically read lower. In general Mustang dynos should be more accurate but it's hard to say since it all comes down to proper calibration. Dynojets are more common for "big stick" comparisons amongst enthusiasts as dynojets are simply and measure power based off how quickly the vehicle can spin a drum, less variables to manipulate the numbers.

The dynojet operator was starting the pulls at way higher RPMs then he should have, shame on me for not picking up on this but he was going WOT between 2,500 and 3,000 rpm (seriously) and the M57 makes peak TQ around 2,950 so for my observant BMW diesel enthusiasts you may notice the Dynojet TQ numbers seem low, this is why, with a clean pull TQ #s would likely be ~550wtq.

On the Mustang dyno I was able to compare my custom inlet to the OEM airbox and although the data isn't perfect since the engine was getting a little heat soaked, it looks like the intake does flow better and offered more power, roughly +10hp +10tq. I am patiently waiting for the shop to email me the overlaid graphs.

On the Dynojet I did 2 pulls with my custom intake and 2 with just a 3.5" velocity stack mounted on the MAF. The pulls are so chaotic and the data so sloppy it's hard to discern what's going on but there was no measurable difference between the two.

Mustang session


Dynojet session


Custom Intake


Velocity stack

[RL18]

Was the mustang dyno awd? Those are both great numbers! Really high actually for what you have done to it! You should really start the pulls at 1500-1750 and I'm not sure if the x5s have a kickdown switch but that can be tuned out via xhp or blocked off. I know my 335d kept kicking down a gear when the dyno guy was doing pulls down that low with mine.

Awesome data though! When will we get to see the dyno sheets? I wonder if the golden eagle oil and the phantom fuel system contributed to the high than usual dyno numbers!

[garagelogician]

Hey Evan, love following your build process here and on the FB group. I had a quick question about your EGR delete before you had it tuned. Did you leave the EGR valve under the hood and plugged in to keep it from going into limp mode? I thought I read somewhere that it would trigger limp mode otherwise.

I have to replace my thermostat, so I figured I'd do this while I'm in there. I already have the SCR deleted and plan to delete the rest fairly soon, but I don't have the downpipe or other parts yet.

[ucsbwsr]

Originally Posted by garagelogician

Did you leave the EGR valve under the hood and plugged in to keep it from going into limp mode?

Yes, plugged in and safely zip tied out of the way.

[ucsbwsr]

It's been a while but this update is a good one!

I finished building and installed my Brembo big brake kit, which uses F10 M5 front calipers and rotors along with Porsche Panamera rear calipers with F85 rotors. 6-piston front 4-piston rear monoblock Brembo calipers.
I posted details on the BBK here:
https://www.xbimmers.com/forums/show...6#post26107666

Here are some pics of the finished product.









In other news I also got around to installing my Provent 200 OCC. It's a bit of a pain to install given it's huge size but I am happy with how it came out. Time will tell if I need to make revisions because some people have had issues with hoses becoming compromised over time from oil, leaking fittings etc.

I built a block off plate out of some 1/4" aluminum. I hacked it up with an angle grinder, a drill, and Dremel. Surprisingly it came out pretty good! I also bought some adapters from Australia via eBay that step the HGUE 1" hose bungs on the Provent down to a more manageable 19mm 3/4" hose. This offers many more hose options and the smaller hoses are easier to work with. I built a bracket for the Provent out of another bracket I had laying around (LED light bar IIRC) and some aluminum stock.




I also chopped down my dipstick, it was obnoxiously high as it was designed to have the engine cover and large air intake box installed so I cut it down so it's still functional but out of the way, this also freed up some room for more direct Provent hose routing.



For vacuum source I use the OEM plastic pipe that runs along the valve cover, I bored it out so a 10orb to 12an adapter could be threaded in. I am happy with this as it can be removed and the system can 100% be reverted to stock relatively easily, I don't plan to do this but it's nice having the option.


I modded the Provent as others have done to regulate the strong vacuum on the system. You can also see the clear hose in the background which I use for my drain, it's plugged a ziptied away by the transmission splash shield. Some have ran this back into the dipstick but I prefer to drain the oil myself so I can see how effective the system is.


While I really wanted the OCC to be out of sight, given it's size and the layout of the engine bay I couldn't find a decent solution even while exploring relocating items like the HVAC coolant lines and valve. Where my Provent has a fairly prominant location, it is very accessible and it does visually block some unsightly vacuum and fuel lines just behind it. This location also allowed for fairly clean and direct hose routing.






With the X5 in the garage for a bit I also repaired the boost leak on my ATM intercooler up pipe


Installed X6 OEM black grills


Replaced the cabin air filter


Clay-barred the paint


....and cleaned the leather
BEFORE


AFTER



Here are some additional pics!

[JDAURIA]

For the cluster modification. You basically just used the E60 M5 needles and silver rings, right?

[ucsbwsr]

Originally Posted by JDNY516

For the cluster modification. You basically just used the E60 M5 needles and silver rings, right?

The front half of the housing is essentially E60 M5 which includes the glass silver bezels etc. the KOMBI and gauge faces are X5, needles and gauge backs (white LEDs) are M5. It's almost a 50/50 hybrid.

[JDAURIA]

Originally Posted by ucsbwsr

The front half of the housing is essentially E60 M5 which includes the glass silver bezels etc. the KOMBI and gauge faces are X5, needles and gauge backs (white LEDs) are M5. It's almost a 50/50 hybrid.

Thanks. What is KOMBI? The Circuit board?

E60 M5:
Front half section of the cluster (glass/plastic)
Silver circular rings
M5 Needles
Gauge Backs (white LEDs)

X5:
Gauge face (diesel)
Kombi

I assume the back half (black plastic) is X5 as to fit back into the vehicle and plug into harness?

I figured If I bought a used E60 M5 cluster, I would just take the needles and silver rings (if they were to come out). Everything else would stay the same?

[ucsbwsr]

Originally Posted by JDNY516

Thanks. What is KOMBI? The Circuit board?

I assume the back half (black plastic) is X5 as to fit back into the vehicle and plug into harness?

I figured If I bought a used E60 M5 cluster, I would just take the needles and silver rings (if they were to come out). Everything else would stay the same?

Yes, KOMBI is the computer/module of the gauge cluster.
The silver M5 bezels are part of the housing, not seperate.

If you are interested in doing this and buy an M5 cluster it will make sense when you have everything in front of you. The housings are essentially identical so you could probably plug the M5 cluster into an X5 and get it to work via coding but please don't do this, no point in having a 200mph speedo and 8,250 redline on a motor that only revs to 5,000rpm.

[JDAURIA]

Originally Posted by ucsbwsr

Yes, KOMBI is the computer/module of the gauge cluster.
The silver M5 bezels are part of the housing, not seperate.

If you are interested in doing this and buy an M5 cluster it will make sense when you have everything in front of you. The housings are essentially identical so you could probably plug the M5 cluster into an X5 and get it to work via coding but please don't do this, no point in having a 200mph speedo and 8,250 redline on a motor that only revs to 5,000rpm.

Definitely wouldn't do that I also do not want the ///M logo on the RPM face, because it's not an ///M

Thanks for the clarification. I should be able to do this no problem. Love the look - it'll look familiar as my E90 M3 has similar cluster

Only other thing I am undecided on is white led or the orange led

[0-60Motorsports]

Brakes look great

[daniel717]

Originally Posted by ucsbwsr

Nav screen and the anti-glare coating has seen better days so I hit it with a 3" DA polisher and some Chem Guys V38


People on FB (apparently those who have never done this mod) were in an uproar saying this was super dumb and they would never do it as the glare would be unbearable.... mmmkay.

Could you expand on the process you used for this? My Nav screen is in definite need of attention.
Thanks!

[ucsbwsr]

Originally Posted by daniel717

Could you expand on the process you used for this? My Nav screen is in definite need of attention.
Thanks!

Remove screen, apply polish to DA polisher, polish, buff, reinstall.

[JDAURIA]

How did you swap the white LEDs over on the cluster? Unsolder and resolder? Or just used the E60 motherboard and swapped the little white mph/rpm module from the 35d?

[ucsbwsr]

Originally Posted by JDNY516

How did you swap the white LEDs over on the cluster? Unsolder and resolder? Or just used the E60 motherboard and swapped the little white mph/rpm module from the 35d?

I simply swapped the part that contains the LEDs for backlighting the gauges.

[ucsbwsr]

ZL1 wheels repaired and powder coated Prismatic "Graphite Black" it's essentially a black with a fine metallic flake and a satin finish. I liked the way the OEM GM satin black finish looked so I used that as a base and I figured the slight metallic finish of the graphite black would compliment the Platinum Grey Metallic on the body. The powder coat turned out to be slightly different than I was envisioning but overall I am very happy.

With my front left sidewall damaged and the other tires on lower tread it was time to replace the tires. I jumped from a 295/40/20 square setup of Pirelli Scorpion Verde to a slightly taller set of Hankook Ventus ST RH06 in 295/45/20. I knew they would be tight and after much research, measuring, and guesstimating I still wasn't confident they would fit. I was relieved to find out the fit perfectly.

I was going between these Hankook RH06s in 295/45 or doing the Michelin Pilot 4 SUV in 305/40. I run Hankook Evos on all my other cars and appreciate the value the tires offer; good grip, quiet ride, adequate tread life, and a fair price. My personal experience combined with the reviews I read were enough for me to give the tires a shot. The Hankooks are about 1/3 the price as the Michelins too.

For the way I use my X5 this 295/45 20x11 square setup is perfect. Given the limitations of the vehicle, tire options, DXC, etc. I can't think of anything I would change. Jumping back up to a taller and heavier tire does zap some of the acceleration performance but the added comfort of the beefy tires is welcomed and worth the trade off.

I am glad the X5 is back from my wheel guy but it was REAL fun dailying the E61 again, never a dull moment.


Garage space was taken by my e39 touring which is getting engine work and a manual swap so I had to get creative in the drive way with 2 jack stands and removing 2 wheels at a time to swap tires. lol


Tada





No rubbing except at full-lock to the right. I will heat, melt, mold this vent further forward. It eats up a lot of space but I can work with it.


I love tight fitment. Looking at the X5 from afar it looks fairly normal but poke your head in the wheel well and you can see where all the research, calculations ....and luck paid off! lol



A look at the tread pattern.